NHLAVINI : THE PASSING OF A LEGEND

Nhlavini
(Photo : Summerhill Stud Archives)

NHLAVINI (SAF)
(National Emblem (SAF) - Valley Mist (SAF)

The frenetics surrounding the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and the J&B Met, and the speed at which the social goings-on were taking place, made us oblivious to the fact that the World Economic Forum was in full swing in Davos. Sadly, and significantly for us, we even missed the death in relative infancy, of our ageless champion, Nhlavini. If you’re chalking up the great names of those that grew up here, he’d be up there with the best : we speak of St Pauls, Mowgli, Sentinel, Magic Mirror, Panjandrum, Dancing Duel, Imperial Despatch, Spook and Diesel, Pick Six, Igugu, Pierre Jourdan, Rebel King and Imbongi.

For that matter, the Markus and Ingrid Jooste’s colour bearer would’ve ranked with best anywhere. Apart from Pocket Power, he must be the only horse to have lined up six times for an Equus Award, where he walked away with the championship on three occasions as the nation’s leading sprinter, the last time at eight years of age. The Brits will tell you that the Zulus are feared for their exploits in battle, and Nhlavini (Zulu for “playboy”), would stand right alongside the warrior kings, Shaka and Cetewayo, as a racehorse.

A championship class campaigner by any standards, he got more than he would’ve anywhere else in the hands of Charles Sydney Laird. We use his name to emphasise his ancestory, as a clue to the expertise that made Nhlavini what he was. There was a sentimental attachment to the progeny of National Emblem in general in the Laird family, but nowhere was it stronger than it was with Nhlavini. Religiously, at the end of his winter campaigns in KwaZulu Natal, his trainer sent him home to his birthplace, where he occupied the sacred paddock which in the 60s, housed the multiple champion sire, Masham, in the shadow of the great eucalypts of Hartford House.

Rested, the brave soldier always returned to the fray, always faithful, always true. This was especially so in his latter years, when it seemed his heart was willing but his limbs could take no more. His master was always masterful, and it was a measure of his great respect for the great horse that in his latter years, there were only two races on the official calendar. The Diadem Stakes and the Cape Flying Championship, at six, seven and eight. His three consecutive Diadems and two Flying Championships (some still say three) tell us the respect was mutual. His harvest was three million and more.

His father’s tally at Summerhill alone included some fifteen Stakes winners, among a litany of Black type scorers, the best of them (Nhlavini, Rebel King, Carnadore, all champions, Decorated Hero, Princely Heir and Lotti), trained by Charles Laird, while top-liners, Fez (Gr1), Royal Emblem (Gr1) and Thekkady, were also inmates of our paddocks carrying the National Emblem hip- sticker on their backsides.

Further Information :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

THE NEW MASTER

Owner Hassan Adams (right) with J&B Met winner Past Master
(Photo : Gold Circle)

THE J&B MET 2011

I’m not a betting man, but every now and then, one hits you bang in the eye, and the temptation is irresistible. When I saw the running of the Diadem Stakes (1200 metres at Kenilworth,) I swore I’d seen the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner. For a horse who’d previously won acclaim over further (the Selangor Cup (Grade 2) 1400 metres, as an early three year old,) for his victory over Noordhoek Flyer (a “cracker,” in my esteem) the Diadem performance was staggering.

My plunge in the Queen’s Plate was entrusted to the eminent Irish Breeder, Diane Nagle, as I confidently parted with my R500 for Past Master. Inexplicably, he ran no kind of race, and whatever the reason for his “no show”, it’s likely he signalled a false dawn by flattering the outcome.

The result was the fans made Mother Russia the “good thing” she wasn’t for the J&B Met, and while she went to the start a deserving favourite on form, it was the default of Past Master that made it that way.

We all know the outcome. Hassan Adams became the first man of colour to decorate the Number One box; Darryl Hodgson, rescued from obscurity by a man from the previously disadvantaged community, becomes a “Met” trainer; and Hymie Maisel, one-time chair of the TBA of South Africa, and sickened by a stroke, breeds a Met winner in the sands of Philippi.

And I get to back the winner in the wrong race!

The record tells us history has been made, for a whole lot of reasons. But let me share an anecdote. I’ve know Hassan since his activist youth. He’s always been a racing nut, to the degree of owning a stud farm when he could ill afford one.

I remember him having a runner in a Gold Cup at Greyville when, because of his colour, he had to watch from the silver ring. I remember giving him a service to sell to the Champion Sire, Northern Guest, for the charitable use of the Hout Bay branch of the ANC, long before that organisation was unbanned.

And I remember the hell I got for doing so.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO WAR...

Muhtafal
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

MUHTAFAL

Just a fortnight ago,
ARABIAN MIST cantered away with the Defy Merchants (Gr2).
Against the odds.

Last Saturday,
THUNDER KEY did a simalar job on the pride of the
Cape in the Diadem Stakes (Gr2).
Again, against the odds.

…BE SURE TO WIN THE WAR. MAKE MUHTAFAL YOUR GENERAL.

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

or contact Linda Norval
+27 (0) 33 263 1081

RECOLLECTIONS OF ISANDLWANA

 

Thunder Key WPOTA Diadem Stakes (Gr2)
(Photos : Gold Circle)

MUHTAFAL : THE GENERAL

Students of history might recall the utterances of the British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, in the Commons following the death of the Prince Imperial during the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. Remember, it happened in the aftermath of Isandlwana, the most ignominious defeat of a British army in history, and in the wake of opposition to the hostilities from Bishop Colenso, his daughters and their friends, which eventually led to the break up of the Church of England, as it was known.

“Who are these people?” the Prime Minister uttered (speaking of the Zulus), “who woo our woman, convert our bishops, defeat our generals, and this day have put an end to the greatest ruling dynasty in European history?”. Trepidation indeed, and a reflection on what is possible against the odds when you have the will and the capacity to surprise. Here was the greatest army on earth, which held dominion over two thirds of the earth’s surface and had never known defeat in all of its imperial conquests, dumped and upstaged by what was arguably the worst equipped, but undoubtedly the best disciplined army on earth.

Saturday witnessed a parallel. We have long proclaimed Muhtafal our general, the man we’d want to go to war with, and a fortnight ago, his son Arabian Mist revealed his own capacity to surprise, when, against the odds he overturned the pride of Gauteng’s sprinters in the Defy Merchants (Gr.2). On Saturday, Thunder Key did the same for Glen Kotzen in the WPOTA’S Diadem Stakes (Gr.2) when he put an end to the aspirations of the best in the Cape (some call it, “of Good Hope”).

If there’s a Muhtafal in the race, no matter his odds, remember what happened to the Prince Imperial.

THUNDER KEY STRIKES IN DIADEM STAKES

Click above to watch Thunder Key in the Diadem Stakes (Grade 2)
(Footage : Tellytrack)

THUNDER KEY
DIADEM STAKES (GRADE 2) 2009

Saturday saw lightening strike at Kenilworth when the son of Muhtafal, Thunder Key, stormed home to steal victory in the Grade 2 Diadem Stakes over 1200m.

A most formidable field of big name performers, including Kapil, Villandry, Warm White Night, Gaultier and Blue Tiger to mention but a few, took their places in the starting gates. But it was the Glen Kotzen-trained 6-year-old speedster, under jockey Karis Teetan, who ignited the afterburners to win by a half length from Blue Tiger with Dance With Al trailing a further length and a quarter.

(Please watch the video above for all the race action and post-race interviews.)

Thunder Key had been knocking on the door in 2009 season with runner-up placings in the Southeatser Sprint (L), Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Gr1) and Umngeni Handicap (L).

Congratulations to trainer Glen Kotzen, owner Jean Van Heerden and Thunder Key’s breeder Cecil Baitz.